


Closing the Distance

by junko



Series: Closing the Distance [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 06:28:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: Class always comes between Renji and Byakuya. Will it be any different this time?





	Closing the Distance

Renji cracked an eye open when he heard the sound of voices in the hallway. He lay on the floor of the library. Byakuya’s body pressed against him from behind, an arm wrapped lightly around Renji’s waist. At some point, they’d pulled the comforter from the kotatsu--which still lay in two distinct pieces. 

It’d be nice if they could have sex without wrecking shit.

With a yawn, Renji closed his eyes with the intention of luxuriating in the sensation of Byakuya’s snuggles and the warmth of sun and blanket. He was just drifting back to sleep when the voices in the hall rose sharply--both female, some kind of argument. Renji’s eyes snapped open as what sounded like some kind of command was issued.

Only one female voice in this household gave a command like that. Well, two, but that sure as shit didn’t sound like Rukia!

At a quiet protest followed by a fleshly smack, Renji was up and halfway to the door. He grabbed his hakama on the way and was tying his obi by the time he got to the main door. Sliding open the rice paper forcefully, he said, “What the hell’s going on---?”

Renji almost tripped over the kneeling form of Aio in the doorway. She was huddled in a tight ball, her head pressed to the floor and her hands covering her turned-away face. 

Aunt Masama stood over Aio, looking for all the world like she was going to kick her. 

Instinct to protect had Renji step forward and crouch down to absorb the impact with his shoulder. Hitting something far more solid made Masama stagger back. She blinked as if seeing Renji for the first time. Then, she blinked again, taking another step back. “Lieutenant,” she hissed. “Where is your shirt?”

Renji ignored her. He was in an awkward position, half-straddling Aio, but he didn’t want to stand up until he knew one thing: “Are you okay, Aio?”

She made a trembly ‘yes’ sort of sound, but her whole body was quaking with fear or adrenaline or both. 

Giving Aio’s shoulder a reassuring pat, Renji stood up. A dark rage tightened his guts. It was obvious what had been happening here. Aio had been keeping Masama from disturbing them; Masama had only seen ‘disobedience.’ And disobedience always ended with a smack. 

Feeling Byakuya coming up behind him, Renji clenched his teeth and muttered, “This is why I don’t always like that game. It’s too real for me and mine.”

“Aunt Masama?” Byakuya prompted. 

If Byakuya heard Renji’s comment, he ignored it for the moment.

“Well,” Masama said with a little ‘harump,’ “It’s clear now why my way was blocked. I should have known that you have no shame, Byakuya-chan. On Hisana’s death day, too!”

Renji’s fists clenched, but Byakuya touched his arm lightly. “It’s far more offensive to hear Hisana’s name pass your lips. Are you pretending you cared for her?”

Masama snapped back, “No more than you are.”

A huge wave of Byakuya’s reiatsu slammed outward suddenly. The surprise and force of it even made Renji struggle to catch his breath for a second. Under Renji’s feet, Aio went still. 

Aunt Masama dropped like a stone.

Renji turned to look at Byakuya for the first time in combination of shock and… admiration. “You just… K.O.’d them with your spiritual pressure?”

Byakuya turned away. “I am quite finished speaking to my auntie. However, your commentary needs far more discussion.”

‘Commentary’? It took a second for Renji to figure out what Byakuya meant--oh. So, Byakuya had heard. Well, Renji’d sort of intended him to, but, fuck it, it still had just sort of slipped out in the heat of seeing Masama beat Aio. Speaking of...Renji glanced down at Aio. Did they bring her in or…? 

“Now,” Byakuya insisted.

Renji shot Byakuya’s back a dark look as he knelt down to gather Aio in his arms. “You really think ordering me around right now is a good idea? I’m just going to put Aio on the couch. It seems wrong to leave her out here.” Especially since auntie could wake up spitting mad at any minute. 

Aio was a tiny thing. She couldn’t be any heavier than Rukia--no, somehow she was even lighter. Renji carefully laid her down on a chaise lounge that was tucked in a little alcove of books. Pointedly ignoring Byakuya’s hot glare, Renji fetched the comforter from the other room and tucked it around her shoulders. 

Once he was satisfied that she was comfortable, Renji joined Byakuya in the little corner area by the broken kotatsu. Byakuya stood stiff and straight, looking out towards the gardens, his back to Renji. He'd pulled on the top layer of his kimono and was using it like a yukata.

Renji settled against a window frame, his back warmed by the sun. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, waiting for the fight.

“Are you changing the rules on me?” Byakuya asked without preamble, his voice tight. “You said it was okay. You…” Byakuya seemed too angry to say more, though the repetition made him sound bit like a petulant kid.. “... said.”

Renji scratched behind his ear, thinking. He did ‘say.’ All the spanking and whatnot had been okay. It’d even been fun. Letting out a breath, he said, “Look, I’m not changing the rules. I just… this shit is hard for me, okay? How am I supposed to see something like that and not think about--”

Byakuya spun around, “It’s not the same at all, Renji. _You_ taught me that. _You_ showed me it could be a game--one, I thought, we both enjoyed. Equally. So I will ask again, have you changed your mind?”

There was so much unguarded emotion in Byakuya’s expression, Renji had to look away. He stared at a shelf of books, unseeingly. “I said already, okay? I haven’t changed my damn mind. It just slipped out. I didn’t mean to say it.”

Byakuya was silent for a beat, but then said, “Yet, you did.”

Renji frowned petulantly at the books and then, turned to Byakuya, snarling, “Yeah, I did. Okay, you wanna know the problem? Just looking at that… it was like…. do you remember, not all that long ago, when I was the one on my knees in the hallway outside the dining room waiting to see if you were going to stand up to that aunt of yours or if I was going to face a beating? Do you have any fucking idea what that feels like?”

“Of course I don’t,” Byakuya said quickly, curtly. “I’ve only ever been the one ordering beatings.”

A little breath escaped Renji at Byakuya’s admission. Renji wasn’t exactly shocked by the truth, but more that Byakuya was finally saying it, agreeing that his position was a big part of the problem.

“Would that help?” Byakuya asked suddenly, desperately. “If I submitted to something like this? Would that close the distance between us?”

“No,” Renji said without hesitation. “No, I don’t want that! I don’t want to see you hurt! And, anyway, it wouldn’t ever be real, would it? There’s no one in the entire Soul Society that has the authority to put you in that kind of place. And, anyway, even if they did, I’d step between you and the whip. I couldn’t allow it. I’d rather die.”

Without realizing it, Renji had been moving forward as if to take Byakuya protectively in his arms. Something in Byakuya seemed to break a little and he stepped into the circle of Renji’s outstretched arms. The moment they touched, Byakuya’s entire body loosened and went limp. He lay his head against Renji’s naked shoulder. 

Gently and carefully, Renji wrapped his arms around Byakuya’s shoulders. 

To Renji’s surprise, Byakuya looped his own hands around Renji’s waist. “What are we to do then?” he whispered into the flesh of Renji’s naked shoulder, his face buried in Renji’s hair. “I can no longer tolerate the vastness of this horrible distance between us. I have tried to elevate you in word and in deed, but still we end up here, always. Why? What will it take?”

Renji nudged nose onto top of Byakuya’s head. “I don’t know, babe,” he said seriously. Nothing he could think of would change the whole world, the entire system. But, that wasn’t what Byakuya needed to hear right now, even if it was the truth. Giving Byakuya’s back a little squeeze, he jokingly added, “Maybe marriage will be the thing, eh?”

An audible gasp from the other room reminded both of them that Aio could probably hear every word they’d said. Letting Byakuya go, Renji moved to peer around the corner. All he could see was a nervously wiggling comforter. He had to laugh. “I guess maybe it’d help if we told some people, huh?”

“It would be best if you would consider consenting to a full adoption and a name change, but I understand I can not ask that of your pride.” Byakuya sighed. He’d come up behind Renji to look in on Aio, and now he put his hands on Renji’s shoulders and went on tiptoe to kiss Renji’s earlobe. “But, yes, perhaps, it’s time for some kind of formal announcement.”

A pair of wide eyes appeared from under the bundle of comforter. 

Renji was pretty sure his eyes were just as wide. “Formal?”

“Yes,” Byakuya said pleasantly, apparently unaware that Renji had broken into a full, cold sweat. “An engagement party. Yes, that seems like the perfect thing.”

Renji’s brain was still stuttering, trying to process. “So.. formal? I mean, a party, okay--yeah, I like parties. So, like, for your family? My friends? ‘Formal’ means what exactly?”

Byakuya lifted a shoulder in a kind of shrug, as though his thought process should be obvious. “‘Formal’ means ‘formal.’ It means everyone. The whole Seireitei. I mean, unless you have people in the Rukongai still…?”

“Uh, no,” was all Renji could say. 

Byakuya seemed to notice Renji’s reaction finally. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

Renji shook his head, but his heart was pounding in a very strange way. The idea of telling everyone… well, it scared him a little, didn’t it? 

He wasn’t entirely sure why. The Division already knew. The Head Captain and Muguruma, Ōtoribashi, Kyōraku, Ukitake, Kenpachi… and those were just the captains. Honestly, the list of people who were already aware of their relationship was almost too many for Renji to count. So, it wasn’t like he was afraid of the secret getting out--there wasn’t much of a secret left to keep.

So, what was it? Was it the commitment? It couldn’t be. Getting married was his idea, after all. He was the one who proposed; he was the one making the arrangements for something legal in the Human World.

He’d hesitated long enough that Byakuya looked worried. “Renji?”

“It’s a good idea,” Renji said quickly. His heart continued to thud in that funny way, and he knew he was doing a shit job of hiding it. “I guess, I mean… it’s about time. I don’t know why I’m reacting like this. Honestly, I don’t. I guess it’s just a big step.”

_Was that really it?_ Renji wondered.

_We never saw ourselves living this long_ , the Baboon King said.

_Sucesssss ssssscares us_ , the Snake Tail agreed.

Byakuya nodded. His posture relaxed, clearly relieved. “It is, and one we should have taken long ago.”

“Yeah,” Renji agreed, trying not to sound tentative.

“Well, I think it’s wonderful,” Aio breathed. When their attention turned back to her, she squeaked, covered her mouth, and dove back under the blankets. Muffled, they heard, “That is, if it pleases my lord and Master Abarai.”

“Mmm, now that you’re back on your feet, Aio, I suppose you should inform the household. The Hanami will have a double purpose. It will also be our yuino, our formal engagement.”

Renji had literally never heard of this thing before. “Yu-i-no? What?”

Aio untangled herself from the comforter and, with a series of deep bows, rushed from the room. She didn’t even hesitate at the door to see if Aunt Masama were still lurking nearby. She must be very excited, Renji thought with a smile.

Byakuya waved a dismissive hand. “I know you proposed, Renji, but in this regard I will act as the instigator. All you need to do is eat good food and accept my presents.”

Renji liked the sound of food. “Presents?”

Byakuya moved back into the room with the broken kotatsu to retrieve his hakama. “They’re entirely symbolic, and, this time, I will not be foolish enough to expect my family to participate or purchase any of them. You, unlike Hisana, will receive your due respect.”

Renji found a cushion in the corner. He brought it to a sunny spot so that he could sit and watch Byakuya dress. “Your family couldn’t even give her nice gifts?”

Byakuya’s jaw flexed as he wound his obi. “More than that. They were quite intentionally horrible to us. One of the gifts is called surume, it is dried cuttlefish and it represents the wish for a long marriage. They gave us candied cherry blossoms instead. They knew, thanks to Senbonzakura, I could say nothing, but, as you know, cherry blossoms are the epitome of briefness, the fragility of life.”

“Fucking bastards,” Renji snarled. 

“Indeed,” Byakuya murmured softly. “What we had was, in fact, brief, but, like the full bloom of Hanami, it was astoundingly beautiful.”

Renji nodded. Normally, he didn’t like to hear Byakuya talk about Hisana. It made him jealous of a dead woman, which made him feel like a complete heel. But, this was nice. He was glad to know they’d stuck it to that horrible family of Byakuya’s.

Using his toe, Renji snagged the edge of his shitage. “So… this is the sort of thing you want. A formal gift presenting thing?”

Byakuya paused in tucking in the folds of his undershirt to give Renji a curious look. “It’s traditional.”

“For you,” Renji pointed out. 

“Ah,” Byakuya frowned. “Very well. Perhaps we can combine some elements. What is the done thing in the Rukongai when there’s an engagement?”

Renji uncrumpled his shitagi with a flap. Unfortunately, he was going to have to take off his hakama, if he wanted to tuck things in properly. Renji stood with a sigh. All this fuss was why he’d spent so many summers at the Eleventh shirtless. 

“I don’t know about the rest of the Rukongai,” Renji said, unwinding his obi. “But, in Inuzuri, marriage was pretty rare.” Mostly because people didn’t tend live long enough to settle down, but Renji kept that part to himself. “But, I remember one. It was pretty exciting because it was between two yakuza families so there was actual food and drinks to be had. Basically, it was a giant party. It was the first time I ever got drunk, actually.”

It had been a night of lot of firsts. The first taste of sake, the first taste of beer, the first bite of onigiri--a simple rice ball, but it had seemed unimaginably fancy at the time. That night had been the first time Renji had danced too… and taken someone home.

“This is the first I’ve seen you smile when speaking of Inuzuri,” Byakuya said, making final adjustments to his kimono. “We shall have to recreate this party of yours, as well. Perhaps after a few formalities. After all, such things will only satisfy my family that I’m serious in my intentions, it will mean nothing to most of the Gotei. The rest should be a celebration for you--for us--and your friends.”

Renji chuckled. Looking for his kosode, he found it wadded in a corner. “You’re letting me invite my friends? Heh, now I know you’re serious.”

“Mmmm, I’ll have to procure an abundance of alcohol.” Byakuya nodded to himself as though making a series of mental notes. “With the Eleventh invited, I’m more and more convinced that the cherry orchard is an excellent venue for us.”

Renji jerked his chin in the direction of the shattered kotatsu. “Less stuff to break, eh?”

Byakuya fought to hold back a smile. “Quite.”

#

Renji left Byakuya with a kiss and a promise to be back later. Technically, he had the whole day off, but, with nothing better to do, he decided to check-in at the Division.

The lieutenant’s office was hopping when he arrived. Large groups of unseated officers milled about, talking animatedly among themselves. Renji couldn’t remember why this would be happening, so he picked a random soldier to ask--a petite woman with tight pigtails pulled high on her head. “What’s all this?”

Recognizing Renji instantly, the officer snapped to attention. Her friends noticed her reaction and likewise bowed deeply. 

“It’s okay.” Renji raised his hands, waving away their stiff formality. “I’m off duty. I’m just curious what’s happening.”

Pigtails seemed too shy to answer, but one of her friends, a dark-skinned chubby person with androgynously buzzed hair spoke up. “We’re signing up to help guard the Kuchiki… erm, hostages?” They seemed a little uncertain if ‘hostages’ was the right word. 

Renji had to admit it sounded like a bad thing. Technically, these kids would be separated from their families, some of them forcibly, but they’d be treated like Kuchiki. Their lives would be pleasant… well, so long as their parents behaved.

It was fairly horrifying to imagine what it would be like if Byakuya had to follow-through on his threat.

“Well, good luck to you all. Here’s hoping you get a plum assignment,” Renji said absently, wondering if he should try fighting his way to the main office to give Nanako a hand. He was tall enough that he could see over most of the heads and the queue stretched through the corridor, snaked through the breakroom, and spilled out onto the porch.

Yeah, the Third could probably use another executive, someone else with decision making authority, Renji decided. 

Better to get this lot sorted sooner rather than later. Otherwise, he’d just end up having to do it tomorrow morning himself, anyway. Time to put himself back on duty.

“Right,” he announced. “Lieutenant coming through.”

#

 

It was nearly time for dinner when the last unseated officer got their assignment. By chance, it was pigtails, who happily clutched the orders to her chest with a, “Waa! Now I can afford those sparkly leggings!” 

Renji had no idea what ‘leggings’ were or why you’d want the sparkly variety, but he nodded happily for her. All Renji could figure was they must be some kind Human World import to cost any significant amount, or tailor-made with similarly imported raw materials and/or tech, like his sunglasses.

“Transferring here was the best decision ever,” she continued to enthuse. “Combat pay and everything! Last place I was at was nice and all, but, having a lieutenant who was previously in the Fourth, meant the only thing you could do for dosh was take on extra KP. He would never hire out. It was annoying.”

“That’s my friend Kira you’re yapping about,” Renji reminded her, while not looking up from his paperwork. It’d be another hour before he finished with all of this if he didn’t stay focused.

Pigtails disappeared in a fluster of, “Oh! Right! Sorry! Thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Just do a good job!” he called after her. 

Once the room was cleared, Nanako sat back with a heavy sigh. “You didn’t need to come in on your day off, Lieutenant.” Before Renji could voice his response, she smiled and added, “But, I sure do appreciate it.”

“No worries,” Renji said, taking a break long enough to yawn and stretch out his muscles. He’d thought his ass might be sensitive, but it wasn’t really. Maybe Byakuya was right; maybe he unconsciously used his reiatsu to protect himself from any real damage. “If I stayed up at the estate, I’d only have run into that auntie of his, and that’s never good. She’s not gonna be happy about that engagement party Byakuya is planning.”

Renji hadn’t entirely intended to say that last bit out loud--and he certainly hadn’t intended to so casually use Byakuya’s given name in the Division. It was the day for that, apparently, Renji grimaced as Nanako’s eyes widened.

“Engagement? Whose engagement?” And, then realizing the answer to her own question, Nanako's hands flew to her mouth and she made a little happy sound. “Oh! Renji! Oh! Congratulations!”

Renji tugged his ear in embarrassment. “Uh, well, thanks. You’re invited, of course, but maybe you have plans for the Hanami?” 

“We’d get to see the Kuchiki orchard?” Nanako breathed dreamily. “What plans? I have no plans? All my plans are cancelled.” Then she seemed to consider something, “How many guests can I bring?”

Renji shook his head. “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask the captain. But, when I left him, he was talking about inviting the entire Seireitei.”

All Nanako could say to that was, “Wow.”

#

Renji sent a butterfly to let Byakuya know that he was working late… on his day off. He figured he’d get an earful once he made it back to the estate. What he didn’t expect was for Byakuya to show up just as he was headed out. 

Byakuya with a plate of food.

“Uh,” Renji stood at the doorway of the lieutenant’s office under the lamplight. Byakuya was clearly dressed for bed, in a deep blue yukata that had small silver foxes hand-painted along the hem. The foxes seemed to cavort and play as the wind tugged at the silk and the candlelight glittered on the threads.

Nanako looked just as shocked to see the captain so casual.

“I’m glad I caught you,” Byakuya said, as though dashing up to Renji with a big, steaming platter full of rice and meats and pickles was completely normal. Seeing Nanako, Byakuya nodded at the plate. “There’s enough for everyone.”

“I… had… dinner?” Nanako glanced at Renji with every word she spoke, like she was looking for direction.

It was Byakuya that answered. “This is not a private moment, Third Seat. I intended to leave this in the breakroom for you both. I didn’t expect you would be finished with your work.”

“Oh! In that case, yes, please!” Nanako moved to take the platter from Byakuya, who gave it up happily. She carefully took it back inside to the breakroom, giving Renji a big smile over her shoulder, like she thought it was cute that Byakuya was being so… domestic?

Domestic. Byakuya?

Yeah, this was weird. “What’s going on?” Renji wondered. “I mean this is nice, but… why didn’t you have Aio bring this?”

Byakuya let out a breath. “I gave her the day off. Besides, in the past, you’ve been angry when I wake servants to do something like this. I never intended to linger. This was meant to be a surprise, but my timing was off, it seems.” He glanced back in the direction of the estate. “I’ll wait for you at the estate.”

“Don’t be silly. Why don’t you join us?”

Byakuya frowned at the lieutenant’s quarters. “I don’t know how to do that.”

Renji tried to picture the scene. Byakuya awkwardly sitting on the rough hewn chairs, everyone silent, not knowing what they could talk about in front of their captain/a noble… but then, he waved that off with a shake of his head. It didn’t have to be like that, did it? It probably would be, but Nanako and the others would be so thrilled to have had a casual moment with their captain. “C’mon,” Renji insisted. “It’ll be good for morale.” He chuckled. "And hey, you can think of it as practice for when you go drinking with the Eleventh."

Byakuya seemed to pale. “Very well.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the long time in between posts. Had an IRL visit from [AuntyA](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuntyA/pseuds/AuntyA) and had to show her my amazing city/cities.
> 
> Also, I really love the title of this and I'm thinking of making it the title of the next series. If I do that I may retcon this story to be the start of that series (but I didn't want to lose anyone in the meantime.)


End file.
